This is a recipe that my Mexican grandmother taught me. It is easy, cheap, healthy, packed with protein and fiber, and simply delicious! Dry beans are widely accessible in many Eastern European and Caucasian countries. I often made this recipe during my Peace Corps day in Azerbaijan when I was craving a taste of home. Here in Turkey, I use barbunya as my 'pinto bean', though this translation sometimes claims them to be 'kidney beans'.
While this is an easy recipe, it can be a bit time-consuming and does require active forethought about what's for dinner tomorrow. Beans can be a 2-day process here. Canned beans are expensive, limited in selection, and filled with sodium and MSG - not worth their price tag!
While this is an easy recipe, it can be a bit time-consuming and does require active forethought about what's for dinner tomorrow. Beans can be a 2-day process here. Canned beans are expensive, limited in selection, and filled with sodium and MSG - not worth their price tag!
Ingredients
1 lb dry pinto beans
1 chicken bullion cubes (or chicken broth)
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp paprika
salt and pepper
Directions
1. Soak your beans in a big pot, with at least 2 inches of water above the beans, and let them sit overnight.
2. Make sure to drain and rinse the beans of its soaking water before cooking your beans. Place the soaked and rinsed beans back in a large pot and cover with fresh water.
3. Add chicken broth or bullion, onion, garlic, cumin, paprika and oregano.
4. Bring to boiling and then reduce heat to simmer. Simmer, covered, for 75 to 90 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
5. To break up the beans and distribute the flavors, mash the mixture gently with a potato masher. They will resemble refried beans at this point.
6. Season the beans further with more cumin, salt and pepper according to your preference.
*I do not use lard (unlike my grandmother) to make my faux-refried beans because I prefer them vegetarian. If you want to truly 'refry' your beans, you can do so in 1 tbsp olive oil for every 2 cup of beans.
1 lb dry pinto beans
1 chicken bullion cubes (or chicken broth)
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp paprika
salt and pepper
Directions
1. Soak your beans in a big pot, with at least 2 inches of water above the beans, and let them sit overnight.
2. Make sure to drain and rinse the beans of its soaking water before cooking your beans. Place the soaked and rinsed beans back in a large pot and cover with fresh water.
3. Add chicken broth or bullion, onion, garlic, cumin, paprika and oregano.
4. Bring to boiling and then reduce heat to simmer. Simmer, covered, for 75 to 90 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
5. To break up the beans and distribute the flavors, mash the mixture gently with a potato masher. They will resemble refried beans at this point.
6. Season the beans further with more cumin, salt and pepper according to your preference.
*I do not use lard (unlike my grandmother) to make my faux-refried beans because I prefer them vegetarian. If you want to truly 'refry' your beans, you can do so in 1 tbsp olive oil for every 2 cup of beans.